Finding Their Happiness
by onceuponakingston
Summary: Regina and Emma are happily married and living a wonderful life with their son. However, some things are missing from their life and their family. Along the road to get those things, they encounter heartbreak and a whole realm of possibilities they never thought possible. (This story is in progress, I am slowly working on new chapters.)
1. Chapter One

**This story was thought up and written (for the first three chapters) by a wonderful writer, JadedAngelisRising. She opened up the possibility of someone finishing it up for her, so everything from Chapter 3 will be my own writing. I will be sticking to her story-line as much as I can.**

 **Chapters will be posted as close to weekly as I can get.**

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Regina Mills was exhausted, but that was nothing new, she had been for over a week now. Emma kept her up most nights, with her heartbroken sobs, and truth be told Regina felt like sobbing most nights too.

They still hadn't gotten over the loss of their daughter, she was beginning to believe they never would. Still, while she afforded Emma time off to grieve, considering she had been the one to experience the miscarriage, Regina refused to allow herself such time. She chose instead to break down at night, when Emma had locked herself away, to try and pull herself back together.

The woman only gave herself a few moments, just long enough to let go some of the anger that was slowly building at the world, because even if she deserved suffering like this for all she's done, someone as caring and kind as Emma Swan certainly did not.

'Swan-Mills' her mind whispered, as she slumped over onto her desk, letting her head fall against the wood with a resolute thud. She knew she needed to go home, but truthfully she didn't want to have to pretend to be okay for Emma or Henry, because she wasn't.

She wanted to lash out, and hurt someone, she wanted to scream and cry until nothing remained of her grief, until she didn't feel like she was drowning anymore. Because they needed her, her family needed her more than anything and she was failing so badly at protecting them. She wanted so desperately to bring them any sort of happiness, because she felt their pain so completely, anything to ease what they were feeling, even a little.

And that, is why Regina Mills ended up at the Storybrooke animal shelter at five-thirty at night, looking over the selection of puppies.

Though most of the time she loathed anything that could potentially ruin her home, and disrupt her life so much like the tiny fur ball would, she knew that Henry had been asking for a puppy for as long as he could talk, and that even Emma had insisted on getting one lately.

As she glanced into each cage, Regina couldn't help but feel sorry for the mutts. Whilst she knew they were well taken care of, much like she and Emma, none of them had been wanted either. So, as she came upon the last cage, containing a small black puppy with eyes oddly like Emma's, a beautiful shade of green, and she couldn't help but soften her expression.

Turning to the employee who had been hovering just behind her the whole time, she offered an overly exasperated sigh and pointed to it. "This one will do just fine," the teenage boy looked at her so confused as if she had just asked him what the square root of twelve was.

"That one? No one ever picks that one, they say it's an outcast."

Regina's anger flared, and she had to work hard to control it, to keep herself from unleashing every ounce of anger she was feeling on this boy. "I don't care what other people say, I want this one. Now do your job."

The boy quickly moved away from her to pull all the necessary forms and bring them back to her, while she took the puppy from the cage herself.

Signing everything with one hand, using the boy's back as a table of sorts she got everything sorted out quickly. She also bought the puppy a purple leash and matching collar, then everything else it would need.

As she was preparing to leave, the boy called out to her, "Oh… Madam Mayor, it needs a name before leaving." Regina brought herself up, just short of the doors, another long sigh escaping her, as she turned to look at the boy shrugging a bit and merely uttering one word, "Hope." Then she turned on her heel and left, before the insufferable teenager could see the tears beginning to gather in her eyes.

The drive home seemed simultaneously like the longest, and shortest drive of her life, far too much like the drive home from the hospital with Emma after they lost their daughter. Unlike that drive though, Regina was filled with something other than despair and that hollow pit of grief forming low in her stomach.

She felt, like for the first time in a week, she could breathe again as she pulled into the driveway and brought the things to the front door Regina wondered for a moment, what it was about her and 'collecting' societies so called outcasts.

Regina walked into the house quietly, unwilling to disturb the eerie quiet that had settled over the house. It hadn't been this quiet since the night they made the frantic drive to the hospital, it unnerved her now the way the house had fallen into an uncomfortable silence.

"Emma?" Regina was quiet too, aware that Emma could be in the middle of any of her recent activities, she just hoped she wouldn't find her curled up in their closet with the pink blanket they had gotten the baby.

That was when Regina knew it was really bad, because that meant Emma was close to another breakdown. Carefully, Regina set Hope down, and the clicking of the puppy's nails filled her with a slight sense of relief. Quickly, she made her way into the study, not at all surprised to hear the sniffling that meant Emma was in there.

She silently slid the door open, walking over to her wife quietly, and wrapping her in a tight hug as the puppy found her way into the room. Emma started quickly at the sight of the black bundle of fur, pulling away from Regina to get a better look at her, a slight angry cloud claiming her face, but she held it well just trying to cheer up because she knew it made Regina sad to see her so upset.

"Why now? Why, after everything that's happened, why… What's her name?" Regina frowned softly at the questions, sighing softly, "Because, we need happiness again… Hope can bring that." Emma visibly stiffened and frowned deeply at the puppy then, "Seriously Regina?" The woman nodded slowly, as tears filled both their eyes, Hope… Their precious daughter whom they had lost at thirty weeks into the pregnancy.

"A puppy… to fill the void of a baby?"

No, Regina's mind wanted to reject that idea, shut it down as quickly as possible because that's not what she wanted at all. "No, Emma, no one and nothing can ever fill the void that Hope created, she will always be a part of the family. However, maybe... The puppy can help us heal, and try to move past this."

Emma knew she would need time, but, she thought that maybe, just maybe this puppy could help their family see that this didn't have to be a permanent scar or trauma for them. "We'll have to tell Henry, you know. He'll be, really excited."

Of course Regina knew that, this was the whole point of the puppy, to try and help them come to terms with this.

However, as always, she had other ideas, and this when done at the right time could be a great thing for the family. Regina knew though, this wasn't the time for that, and so she tucked the new set of adoption papers further into her purse, there would be a time to discuss this, they had their whole lives ahead of them and all the time in the world to add to their family.

For now, the puppy would be enough. And that night, the silence reined over the house once more, and Regina silently thanked Hope, -their baby, and their new puppy- for giving them reasons to love, and grieve, and learn to move passed it and love again.


	2. Chapter Two

Regina could hear the whimpering come from outside their bedroom door, Hope was once again wanting to be let out, even though Regina had just let her out two hours ago. If she had known having a puppy, would be so much like having an actual baby she would have held off on the idea a few more weeks.

Despite being so small, the canine was an exhausting creature, Emma helped as much as she could, but Regina knew the experience was wearing on both of them. The way the Hope seemed to behave just like a newborn often got Emma emotional again.

Some nights, Regina could swear that she heard Emma out there in the hall talking to the puppy as if she were a person. She would tell the Hope everything she was thinking, and

sometimes she would just sit there with her crying.

Regina couldn't blame her, she often found herself speaking to the puppy as if they were holding a real conversation, as well. It helped them, more than she would care to admit and so even when they puppy did whine and she contemplated fire-balling the hell out of the annoying thing, she didn't. Truthfully, she loved the Hope, just as if it were their real baby and she would be damned if any harm came to the little thing.

And that included harm in the form of Snow White's overbearing love. The minute she had met her, the ever frustrating woman had nearly snuggled her to death. Hope whined and cried incessantly, forcing Regina to come to her rescue.

She quickly scooped Hope up out of the woman's arms, gently snuggling her close as she murmured words of reassurance to her. "It's okay, Hope, that's just your crazy grandmother."

Her eyes immediately widened to the size of saucers, and she felt a slight blush creep its way up her neck. She had never openly told anyone, even Emma that she thought of the puppy as a baby.

So instead of even trying to explain herself, she just disappeared into the study, locking the door behind her as the sudden rush of embarrassment and slight fear subsided. The lock clicked out of place only a few moments later, the sounds of the small party they were having filtering into the room as Emma came in.

They disappeared again only a moment later as the lock clicked back into place smoothly, the puppy was gently taken from her and placed on the floor.

Thin arms wrapped around her waist, and the scent of the vanilla and raspberry perfume that she had bought her wife for Christmas, a smell that she loved, invaded her personal space, calming her instantly.

"I'm sorry Emma, I didn't mean to-" Emma just squeezed her tighter, signaling that she should just stop talking, the woman merely burrowed her face into Regina's neck breathing in her scent.

They stayed like this for a long time, Emma latched onto Regina as if she was the only thing keeping her here, and Regina just kept still, holding Emma gently, as if the woman might break.

This was how they handled each other now, ever so carefully, and they were even more careful with Henry and Hope, as if they would just disappear if they weren't anything more than terribly gentle.

"I think it too, love… I just didn't know that you did." Those simple words calmed Regina better than anything could have in that moment, they both thought of Hope as a baby not just a family pet.

She was truly an invaluable part of their family now, just as their daughter would have been, just as she still was despite being their angel now.

When Emma pulled away, a hand gently settled on her still slightly protruding abdomen, it was simultaneously a sad and happy sight to see for the brunette woman. When Emma did little things like that, habits that she had picked up during her pregnancy, it would almost stun Regina as if she had completely forgotten that their daughter was lost to them now.

It would make it seem as if Emma was still pregnant sometimes, and every once in a while, that struck Regina in a good way. With the way her belly still stuck out, it was easy to imagine that they were still back in month five or early month six of the pregnancy.

It was easy to imagine that things weren't the way they are because they had lost their daughter, but because they were still anxiously awaiting her arrival. And sometimes, Regina would let herself live in that delusion and she had a feeling Emma did too, with the way Regina would sometimes catch her still talking to her belly like they both used to.

Regina's slightly smaller hand settled atop Emma's and for a moment they both just smiled, losing themselves to a different reality, a reality that only a few weeks ago had been so real, and so tantalizingly close that it was definitely painful to think about now.

The door to the study opening made them jump apart quickly, but Emma kept a protective hand over her belly, eyes wide as she glanced up at her mother.

"Oh!" Regina merely glowered at Snow for a long moment for interrupting their peaceful moment, the woman was forever irritating.

"I didn't mean to… interrupt, I just wanted to check on the two of you. You've been in here a while now."

Glancing fleetingly at the clock, Regina realized the raven haired woman was right, they had been locked in here together for at least twenty minutes. They needed to get back out to their party, but Regina needed just a moment more alone with Emma.

"Yes, Snow, that's what happens when people are working through personal issues."

The smaller woman blushed, and had enough sense to look at least a bit ashamed at barging in on them. "Right, sorry." Snow then quickly tried to back out of the study, dutifully not commenting on the way Emma still stood there.

With the door now firmly shut and locked behind Snow, Emma slowly let her hand fall back to her side, sighing heavily as she glanced at Regina. "You know she's trying to hide it, right?"

Regina's brow rose impressively almost completely into her hairline as she looked back at Emma, "Hiding what, dear?"

Regina hadn't seen any evidence of the smaller woman hiding anything but, the way Emma's eyes were quickly watering. The way she hugged herself as if trying to force herself to stay together made whatever Emma was about to tell her worthy of trying to kill Snow all over again.

"She's pregnant." It was a short and simple statement, with not a hint of question in Emma's voice as she spoke even though it shook, and it filled Regina with such a rage that she saw red and her eyes began to swirl purple.

Why should Snow White of all people get the thing she wanted most? Why should she get to be happy, when she and Emma were clearly suffering, and how dare the woman try to hide it!

If it were Regina she would be shouting it from the rooftops! "You're sure?" Regina's voice was completely tight and controlled as she tried to calm down.

Emma merely nodded, unable to actually speak as she had dissolved into silent tears, they flowed uninhibited as she watched her wife physically fight to keep herself standing in the study with her.

She knew she wanted to go out there and yell at Snow, just as much as Emma herself did, but that would get them nowhere and they both knew it. "Emma, it's going to be okay," Regina tried to make herself believe that as much as she was trying to make Emma believe it.

While they were both extremely upset by the news that had yet to actually be announced, they wouldn't let it break them.

They would try their hardest to be happy for Snow and David, even as she thought this though, she could see Emma physically reverting back to that first week, those first days without their daughter.

Instantly, Regina was there, arms wrapped around her wife, because she knew what came next. A silencing spell placed on the room quickly, ensured that no one outside of those four walls would hear the heartbreak that came next.

Regina was almost certain she could actually hear Emma's heart breaking as she gently eased the blonde down onto the couch. She didn't say anything at first, she just quietly cradled her wife close and let her cry, because truthfully that was what she needed, what they both needed. She knew, that news like this wouldn't always hit them this hard, but she allowed them both their grief now, that way they could truly be happy for their family later.

The scratching at the door a moment later, made Regina jump lightly, any sound outside of Emma's crying had been drowned out, however she let the puppy in using magic, making sure that as little sound escaped the room.

The last thing they needed, was Snow hearing this and deciding to be a 'parent' now of all times. The door magically closed and locked behind the puppy, as she quickly ran across the room to the couch, jumping up and trying to wedge herself onto Emma's lap.

Regina leaned forward to help the puppy, being mindful of Emma's belly, as she always had been. The second the puppy made contact with Emma she was whining to get the woman's attention, but Emma wouldn't look at Hope, she just leaned forward to scoop her up.

Keeping Hope close helped when Emma got like this, and they all knew it, and the puppy didn't protest one bit. Regina had hoped tonight would be the night to tell Emma of her adoption idea, but after this, she would be lucky to get Emma to speak much less get her opinion on adopting a baby.

She wasn't upset with Emma though, because she was breaking down the way Regina wished she could, broken and ugly sobbing that racked her body with every sob, but she just watched her wife as her body shook, gasping to catch her own breath between sobs.

"Emma… it's okay, I promise. We'll get through this, somehow." The puppy whining in agreement with Regina, as she tried to calm Emma down and once she was sufficiently calm, Regina left the room only long enough to excuse their guests and end the party.

Stepping back out into the living room, she frowned as everyone in the room turned to stare at her. "You'll all have to forgive us, Emma isn't feeling well-"At this, Regina saw Henry slip off to the study, and a guilty expression cross Snow's face.

'Good' Regina thought, let the woman fester in her guilt.

"She wants you all to know that she enjoyed your company, and that she's grateful for all the fun tonight, it was truly a needed distraction."

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Henry run from the study to the kitchen, and thought that she would be making a late night trip to the store for more chocolate frosting and Emma's favorite ice cream.

That's how it was with her wife, she drowned her sorrow in sweets and expressed it by crying quite a bit, but it was better than how she herself handled it. So she couldn't complain.

As everyone finally began to leave, Regina sighed heavily as she spotted Snow. All the signs of early pregnancy now clear as day in the woman, now that she was aware and looking for them. That made her hate the woman, and their situation all the more, but she kept quiet on that and wished everyone a goodnight as they left.

Finally, she was able to get back to her wife and son, she found them just as she had left them, except that Henry was sitting on the floor beside Emma, and her wife kept mumbling into the Hopes' fur, between her sobs. It truly was heartbreaking to see her like this.

Still, after a few minutes, Henry coaxed Emma out of her shell he got her to eat some of the ice cream, and calm down a little.

Regina could never thank Henry enough for how patient and gentle he was being with both of them, she knew he understood the gravity of the situation, he was even pretty torn up about it himself.

He was so looking forward to being a big brother that they had even allowed him a few days off of school to work through this new reality of theirs.

Sensing that Emma wanted to talk again, Regina politely excused Henry from the room giving him the task of going to the store and tracking down more frosting and ice cream, he took the task easily knowing that at least he was helping in some small way.

When he was a safe distance away, Regina sat down next to Emma, pulling her close again.

"It hurts, so bad Gina."

A small smile made it's way across Regina's face when she heard the moniker Emma had given her and she nodded quietly. She completely understood the pain Emma talked about, and she carried it with her everyday just as the blonde did.

"I know, but in time, it will get better. We just have to work through it, and remember how lucky we are to have each other, and Henry."

Lucky wasn't really the word Regina would use, none of this was luck, it was a destiny of their own written design. Their fate, that they had decided on together, the only luck in the situation, was the bad luck that had seemed to loom over Emma's entire pregnancy.

They had known from the start that there was a good chance Hope wouldn't make it, but to lose her so far into it, they had almost been safely to the end! Regina had been so sure that things would be okay, that the actual loss had been such a shock and she hadn't known what to do with herself.

"How can it get better, when she's gone?"

Regina often asked herself this question, she still didn't have an answer so she merely shrugged. "I don't know, but I do know that it will eventually. She was just too perfect for this world, it would have ruined her." The brunette woman knew this for a fact, their daughter had been completely perfect in every way, and she had the photographic proof of it.

When she had been, 'born' they had allowed she and Emma to have a few minutes with her. They each got to hold her, they had pictures of both of them holding her.

They had a picture of Henry very delicately holding his baby sister against his chest, but the picture Regina cherished more than anything, was the one taken just before Whale had insisted on taking her away.

Emma, and Regina sharing the hospital bed, with Henry sitting at the foot of it, and little Hope seemingly sleeping as she and Emma held her.

It was the best, and worst moment of Regina's life, and she knew Emma would agree. She pulled that photo up on her phone now, passing it to Emma wordlessly, Emma didn't know that this picture had been taken, she was too focused on the baby between them. Upon seeing it now, Emma gasped softly, pressing the phone closer to her, as if she could literally absorb the image.

The awe on her face, was enough to convince Regina she had done the right thing in requesting the photo be taken, it was beautiful and simple. It was their family.

On her worst days, when she thinks she just can't take it anymore, she pulls up this photo and just stares at how perfect it seemed.

The moment right after the photo though, was what truly made this so perfect, Whale had insisted that she needed to be taken away, and they had, had the photo taken. Then, as if it was perfectly planned the small family turned in on the baby, leaning in to kiss her goodbye, their tears mingling together on her small, cold cheek.

When Regina pulled away, she could see the grief on Emma's face, the pain at having to give their daughter to someone who would take her away and they would never see her again. Ever so gently though, she got up off the bed, bringing the baby with her and crossing the room to where Whale stood looking appropriately sorry and upset himself.

She gently squeezed the baby to her one last time, before placing her into Whale's waiting arms, who then nodded softly, and swiftly took Hope away.

He came back a few minutes later to check Emma's health, and offer them information on grief counseling, he then asked if they had a specific outfit they wished her to be buried in.

Regina's eyes snapped to the purple and black diaper bag across the room. She nodded toward it, and Whale took it as permission to open the bag. When he did, his own eyes misted over with the grief this family would feel for weeks and months to come.

Carefully, he pulled out a newborn sized amethyst dress that had matching black and purple tights and a purple crown headband. It was meant to be the baby's coming home outfit. He wanted nothing more than to be able to give them back their child, but even he couldn't fix this. Nodding swiftly, and left the room quickly to avoid crying in front of the already hurting family, taking the outfit with him.

When he came back ten minutes later, eyes rimmed red, he brought a simple but meaningful gift.

He handed it to Regina in silence, when she glanced at it, her heart soared and plummeted all at once, there she was, their beautiful Hope. All dressed up in her pretty purple princess dress, she looked so perfect, so sleepy, like she would wake up from a nap at any moment, the photo was truly amazing, and she didn't know what to say.

She glanced up to the wall above the couch in their study now, that same photo lighting up the room with its beauty. Somehow, that photo made her believe that everything would be okay.

Even if it wasn't at the moment, it would be someday and that was all that mattered to the brunette, as she watched her wife, who had fallen asleep with Regina's phone clutched to her chest, as if she was holding their daughter close.

The puppy slept dutifully at her feet, and Regina couldn't help but smile, even if such a terrible thing had happened to them, some good memories, -painful, but still good- and some good things came out of it.

"Sweet dreams, my Princess, tomorrow will be better."

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 **Once again, this chapter is from the original author and all I have done is edited structure and grammar to my tastes. Reviews, follows and faves are always lovely and thank you to those who already have. Enjoy.**


	3. Chapter Three

Eight weeks had gone by since Emma's breakdown at the party, a whole two months and although things had gotten better, Regina wouldn't put too much faith into any given day. They each had their good and their bad days, as was expected but things could only go up from here, right?

Regina honestly hoped to any higher power that, this was the lowest point in their life. She really wasn't sure how much more they could take.

In the months since Hope, Emma had slowly gotten better and Regina could only be thankful for that. Their puppy certainly had a lot to do with the blonde's recovery and Regina was happy she had finally seemed to do something right, she had been blaming herself a lot lately for all that had happened. Logically, she knew none of it was really her fault, but she hated seeing Emma so miserable and not be able to help.

Although she had seen remarkable improvement in both of them lately, she still worried that they would slip back into their self-destructive behavior. That's why she had avoided the impressively thick packet hidden in her locked desk drawer in her home office, for what felt like an eternity.

She knew they both had to be in a good state mentally and physically before they even applied to adopt. Regina could honestly say, she now felt like they were finally there.

Sure they hadn't even talked about it yet, and she was just hoping Emma would be receptive to the idea but Regina could just feel that this would be good for them.

As she made her way into the house after a long day, and extended night at work something just felt off. All the lights in the house were turned off, meaning Henry was already in bed where he was meant to be at such an hour, but the brunette couldn't sense Emma. Usually their magic is so interconnected that Emma's mere presence can be felt by the brunette no matter where she is, right now all Regina was feeling was panic, and a impressively complex mix of emotions.

She knew it was her wife, but honestly she was afraid to face what she assumed was about to be a long, and complex conversation.

Slowly, she removed her coat and heels, dropping her purse in the closet by the door. Then she tried to come up with any excuse to delay walking into the kitchen where the quickly mounting emotions waited. When she couldn't find a good enough excuse, she sighed quietly to herself and made her way into the kitchen.

Almost immediately she realized Emma was stressed, about what she wasn't sure it could have been just about anything going on in town.

Then, Emma turned her gaze onto the brunette, and dropped the packet onto the table between them and Regina froze. Was Emma angry she had it? Maybe she just wasn't ready. Scenarios, good and bad ones, ran rampant through Regina's mind.

"When were you going to tell me about this?"

So, she was upset Regina hadn't told her? "When I felt you were ready, Emma. It's been a long few months and I didn't want to push you."

The panic enveloping the room only spiked at this admission, and Regina wondered if Emma was about to have yet another panic attack. "I haven't been that bad…" Emma's voice was low, sad, almost as if she couldn't believe she had let herself become so upset and withdrawn that Regina was even afraid to voice her opinions.

And in turn, Regina sighed and sat heavily in the chair across from the blonde. "You've been rather difficult to talk to, beyond the weather and Henry. I didn't want to overwhelm you, and I needed time too. I had to make sure this is what's best for our family before presenting the idea to you."

"I like it…"

Regina glanced up to meet her wife's gaze, unsure if she had really just heard the blonde agree with her.

It had been a while since they had been on the same page about damn near anything, and frankly the brunette was just relieved to hear they were finally getting back on track with each other.

A small smile crept into place on the brunette's face as she watched the blonde pull out a pen.

"Well, lets get this started then." Emma nodded, slowly pulling her chair around toward Regina and together they began to fill out the paperwork to start the adoption process.

And suddenly, Regina could see an ending to the nightmare they had been living in for nearly half a year now, she could see the happiness slowly returning. She could see Emma, slowly coming back to her loving and ever irritating self.

Once the packet had successfully been mailed back, several weeks went by with no contact with the adoption agency. Regina was anxiously calm, but cautious, Emma on the other hand had gone into full blown panicked excitement mode.

Regina often found the blonde pacing the living room by the house phone as if she were willing it to ring, she had honestly begun to think Emma would drive herself crazy waiting for information. Until, mercifully one day just shy of two months later, the phone rang.

There was a match, a little girl in New York, just born today, they had said the birth mother at first wanted an open adoption but changed her mind just minutes after the birth.

"Some scared teenage girl." Their agent had mumbled, and right then and there Emma knew they had to help this girl.

"We'll meet with her today, if you wish." Regina had to assure the woman it wouldn't be an issue with getting to New York in a timely manner.

She couldn't very well tell this woman she would just transport them to New York, and pretend they had just gotten really lucky in not getting caught speeding.

Of course, their agent agreed and said she would notify the hospital of their impending arrival.

Regina thanks the woman and hangs up, turning to Emma she grins slightly.

"What do you think we should wear to go meet our new baby?"

Emma breaks out into a smile of her own, and flings her arms around Regina's neck, squeezing a little before running off upstairs to pack some of their things knowing they would be there a few days.

As soon as everything is ready, Regina transports them, and her car to the outskirts of New York. Of course, knowing magic doesn't work outside of Storybrooke she was impressed to have gotten them that far.

The drive in was a silent one, filled with anxious excitement as they began to imagine life with their teenage son and a newborn.

Emma had to stop herself from imagining Hope in this baby's place, the child could never be her precious lost baby. However, she knew that this child could mean the beginning of something amazing.

As they pulled into the hospital's parking lot, Regina began to feel her own anxiety spike but in a good way. Together, they walked inside and up to the fourth floor where the signs directed the maternity ward was.

Once there, they explained the situation to one of the attending nurses who gladly let them into the ward and showed them the way to the room of the young mother who still currently had custody of their baby.

Regina knocked quietly, before pushing the door open and letting Emma and herself in.

"Hello there,-" Regina stopped mid-sentence to check the name on the whiteboard on the wall. "Jadelyn. My name is Regina, this is my wife, Emma. I assume someone has told you a bit about us, but in case it wasn't obvious, we're the couple adopting your daughter."

The teen smiled tiredly up at the brunette, as if she had just thrown her a life raft amidst a terrifyingly violent storm. "Yeah, the Swan-Mills couple, the nurse told me about you. And you can just call me Jade, we're sort of friends now you know since you'll be adopting my baby and all. Preferred name basis is normal among friends."

Regina smirked a bit, stunned by the teen's admirable vocabulary. When the agent had said "teenager" the brunette had been expecting a halfwit with no sense towards safe sex.

"Very well then, it's nice to meet you Jade. The agency told us you had wanted an open adoption, but changed your mind. Why is that?"

Regina sat quietly in one of the chairs beside the bed, as the girl seemed to think over her answer, Emma flopped down beside the brunette no doubt having issues with the whole scenario. They would talk about it later, of course, but Regina was sure Emma was reliving her time as a teenage mother.

"I just, don't want to get attached… She's yours, not mine. And seeing her, being allowed to know things and be with her would just be too hard."

Emma nodded, as if she knew exactly what the girl meant and truthfully she probably did. However Regina just felt plain sorry for the girl, and wholly confused. If it were her, she would want every opportunity to know about her child then again, she wouldn't have put her child up for adoption in the first place.

That wasn't to say she was mocking the girl, no, she was more than grateful for her choosing them to be her daughter's parents. She just felt like this was too easy, she had been down this road before and look how that had turned out.

"So, you want no contact at all after the two of you leave here. You're perfectly okay with that?"

The brunette could see the girl wasn't at all okay with it, but she clearly wanted what was best for the child.

"You know you don't have to lie to us, if you want to see her, be involved in any way we won't stop you. How could we deny the woman whose helping us to complete our family?"

The girl was visibly shocked, but relief flooded her face as what Regina had just said sunk in. "You really don't mind? I wouldn't want much, just updates and pictures now and then. I'm not sure I could handle seeing her."

The relief was mutual when Jade said she didn't wish to see her, pictures and letters were easy enough. However, getting the young woman in and out of Storybrooke without exposing magic was a completely different story.

"I think we can handle that, no problem. It's the least we can do for you, and if you ever do change your mind and want to see her… I'm sure we could work something out."

Regina wanted to be as open with this girl as possible, after all she was giving away a part of her to be raised by near strangers, the least they could do was offer her some way to still see her child grow up, even if it was from afar.

"Thank you, so much. You have no idea what that means to me."

And though Regina really didn't, she could see the relief and pain clouding Emma's eyes as she remembered having to give Henry away, and not having someone to be nearly as nice to her as they were being with Jade.

"It's the least we can do. Now, can we see her?"

Jade nodded, and called one of the nurses to bring the baby from the nursery. Regina and Emma both waited on baited breath, as the plastic hospital crib was wheeled into the room.

The baby was removed and passed over to Jade, who tried her best not to look like she had just been dropped in the middle of an ocean without so much as an idea of how to swim.

"She's been a pretty good baby so far, quiet, doesn't demand much."

Regina smiled, nodded a bit as she and Emma moved closer to get a better look at her, she really was a beautiful baby.

Jade quickly offered the child up to them, and Regina took her into her arms with practiced ease.

Emma backed up then, the panic causing her to shut down all emotions quickly. She was terrified of somehow hurting this baby, terrified of somehow losing her. She was doing her best to keep herself together, but she knew this was going to be one of the longest weekends of her life.

At first, Regina didn't push the idea, she knew Emma still had that fear to work through but the longer she stood there, falling more and more in love with this baby.

The more she realized she was going to have to push Emma out of that comfort zone. Carefully and slowly, the brunette walked over to her wife. When there was nothing but the baby keeping them from being pressed together, Regina gently handed her off watching the way Emma's instincts quickly kicked in to hold the baby close.

She didn't want to be afraid, didn't want to hurt or lose this baby, and that's what was making this so horrible. These emotions… were nothing like what it felt like to hold Hope. She was cold, unmoving, completely lifeless. This baby made her think of what it should have been like to hold their daughter and she just couldn't handle it.

Her eyes watered as she passed the baby back to Regina and excused herself out into the hallway. She wasn't ready no matter how beautiful or amazing this baby was, she wasn't Hope. And yet, all those feelings came rushing back in a whirlwind as she sat in the hallway, trying to pull herself back together.


	4. Chapter Four

I am legitimately the worst person ever, I don't even know how long I left you guys without an update. I do have an excuse though, I have been working between five and six days a week (both day and night shifts, how fun) and between working, seeing my family and trying to have the smallest smidge of a social life has left me with no time for carrying on with this fic. I am trying my hardest, I have four days off this week so I am going to try and do some writing then. Updates will be coming when I have the time, and I know I promised weekly updates when I took over this fic, but working really does come first, I have rent I need to pay and other grown up things that need paying for too.

On a lighter note, I hope you enjoy this chapter. Don't forget to review, favorite and follow :)

* * *

Regina watched as Emma walked out of the hospital room trying her hardest not to let the tears fall. She knew how Emma was feeling to a certain extent, she was also frightened about having this baby, she didn't want to lose her too. Regina knew better than to rush off after her wife, as much as she had been excited about adopting a baby, she understood that it was overwhelming for her.

She looked down at the baby asleep in her arms, she could see a future with this child. She knew that she wasn't replacing Hope, she was merely a sibling to their lost child and to Henry.

"Is she okay?" Jade asked.

Regina looked over to the teenager, a girl who was much more than what she had been expecting when she had gotten the call earlier today.

"I thought she'd be excited," she added.

"She was... _is_." Regina didn't know how much to tell her, whether to tell her anything at all. Jade was a stranger giving them a baby, something to complete their family. "She's been through a lot in the past year, it's hard for her, for our whole family."

Jade winced as she sat up in the hospital bed, still sore from giving birth hours ago. "You have other kids?"

Regina smiled as she thought of Henry meeting his sister, how he would react to having a baby sister. She moved the neutral colored blanket so she could get a better look at the babys features. "We have a son, Henry, he'll be fifteen this year."

"Why'd you guys wait so long to have another kid?" Jade asked.

Regina really didn't know what to say. The truth was borderline crazy, and Jade knowing the truth about who she really was, was also out of the question. "Life got in the way I suppose. I'm a mayor of the small town we live in, Emma's the sheriff," Regina said.

"You just answered another question I had," Jade said with a chuckle.

The brunette stood up and placed the baby in her standard hospital cot before turning back to Jade with a smile. "I should go and see if Emma is okay."

As Regina left the room, she heard Jade call for one of the nurses to take the baby away. She turned briefly as the nurse walked out of the room pushing the cot towards the hospital nursery. She hoped to find Emma in the waiting room, and when she didn't, she headed for the toilets.

"Emma," she said as she pushed open the door. When she heard a sob, she stepped inside and locked the door so no one else could come in. "Emma, it's me."

"I'm good, Regina," she replied from inside one of the cubicles.

Regina leaned against the toilet door, "I know it's hard for you, darling, it is for me too. I only pursued this because I thought you wanted it to happen too."

Emma sniffled, "I do, but all I could think about was how our happy ending should've been with Hope."

"Emma, open the door. Please."

The blonde waited a few moment before unlocking the cubicle door, she pushed her blonde hair away from her face and looked at her wife. Regina didn't wait a single second before pulling Emma in for a hug, something she knew she needed. They stood there, just the two of them, both scared about what the future had to bring.

"I need to know whether you're ready for this, Emma. If you're not, then we can wait a bit longer," Regina said softly as she threaded her fingers through long, blonde locks.

Emma broke away from the hug and wiped the remainder of her tears away, taking a deep breath as she did so. "Let's go meet our baby."

* * *

They spent three days in New York, it was three days spent with Jade and their new baby. They had gotten to know Jade very well in such a short time, and found that she was only 20 and in college studying to become a journalist. She told Emma and Regina that she had wanted to give the baby her best chance as she was struggling to make ends meet being by herself.

After the waiting period of 72 hours had passed, Jade was still willing to give her baby up, so all Emma and Regina had to do was sign the papers to make her theirs. The adoption agent had come to the hospital room at 10 a.m. with all the necessary papers, telling them where to sign.

"Congratulations on your new baby, Mrs. and Mrs. Swan-Mills," she said. "Does she have a name?"

A flash of panic flashed across Regina's face, they had been so wrapped up in having a baby to adopt and getting to know Jade and making sure she was comfortable, that they hadn't even talked about names for her.

Emma placed a hand on Reginas knee, rubbing her thumb back and forth, calming the woman down. "Hanna," she said softly. "Hanna Grace Swan-Mills."

Although they had never discussed it, Regina felt the name was perfect for their little bundle. She knew Emma had probably thought about this since they decided to go through with adopting a child, so she let her have this moment.

"That's a nice name," the agent said. She clipped a white business card onto the papers before handing them over to the two women. "Contact me if you have any difficulties."

They watched as the woman left them alone with Jade and their new daughter. A sense of relief came over them as they realized that Hanna was finally theirs and that their family was on it's way to being complete.

* * *

The drive home from New York was long and tiresome for both Emma and Regina. They couldn't use Regina's magic to transport them back to Storybrooke, it had been a miracle that they had gotten as far as they did when they were going three days ago, but magic outside of Storybrooke was nearly impossible and they didn't want to run the risk of transporting to anywhere but their home. The journey from the Big Apple to the small town they both called home lasted for nearly eight hours, but it was a journey Emma could do in six if she needed to.

When they 'drove' there, they didn't factor in that driving home would mean stopping every two hours when their child needed feeding or when she needed her nappy changing, or that Emma would be driving barely above the speed limit despite Regina's insistence that the roads were perfectly safe. Around the half way mark on their travels home, Regina forced Emma out of the drivers seat, and she took over driving so that her wife could have a rest and watch over Hanna for the rest of the ride home.

The long drive home was worth it just to see Henry. He knew his parents were on their way home, he had made Emma promise to text him when they were two hours away. He raced home from his grandparents house and was waiting outside the house for when they arrived.

"Moms!" he shouted when he saw the car pulling into the driveway.

Regina climbed out of the car as soon as she had put it into park and enveloped her son in a hug. "How are you?"

"I'm good, Mom," he smiled. "Where's Ma?"

Regina turned back to the car and nodded to Emma who was fast asleep in the back of the car with one hand on the car seat and their daughter grabbing onto her index finger.

"Have I got a brother or sister?" he asked.

"A sister. Is that okay?"

"Yeah, what's she called?"

"Hanna Grace, your mother chose it."

"Can I hold her?"

"Go and sit inside and I'll wake Emma up and bring them both inside," Regina said, she ruffled Henry's hair before he ran into the house, something she usually told him off for, but today was important to everyone.

Walking over to the car, she didn't want to wake Emma up because she looked so peaceful. She opened the door, and the click stirred the blonde and she rubbed her eyes as she began to wake up.

"Where are we?" she mumbled.

"We're home, darling. Henry is waiting for us inside, he can't wait to meet his sister."

Emma realized that her finger was in a vice-like grip and the child stirred when she attempted to take it away. The blonde unbuckled the car seat and took Hanna into her arms, giving her finger back to the infant as soon as she was out of the car.

Regina stared at the feat in front of her, she knew it took all of Emma's being not to run away scared, she knew that fear was still lingering in her mind, it was in her own, but to see Emma come so far in just a few days was incredible.

"What?" Emma said.

"Sorry?" Regina said, confused.

"You were staring, not that I mind."

"I was just thinking how a few months ago, we never thought we'd have a chance like this, but now you're holding our daughter and we're bringing her home."

Emma smiled, she had been thinking the same thing on the drive home, and whilst Hope will always be a big part of their family life, they finally had complete family.

Leaving their luggage in the car for later, they headed inside where Henry sat waiting patiently. He may have been turning fifteen in a few months, but he was acting like an eight year old on Christmas morning.

"Is she asleep?" Henry asked when they walked into the room.

"Yes, she mostly just wakes up to be fed or changed at the minute," Regina said, "just like you when you were her age."

"Can I hold her, Ma?"

"Sure, kid," Emma said as she sat down next to Henry on the sofa, Hanna stirring once again when Emma's finger was removed from her grasp. "Let her hold onto your finger, she likes having something to hold."

Henry followed Emmas instructions, his arm her head supported her head and his finger was offered straight away, something the infant liked. "She's so cute," he said softly.

"You won't be saying that when she is crying at four in the morning to be fed," Regina said. She laughed when she heard a collective groan from Emma and Henry at the mention of early mornings. "It'll be worth it," she whispered to herself.

"It will," Emma replied.


End file.
